Giving Back to the Community was one purpose of the May 13 high school service day, which also provided an opportunity for students to practice the value of serving others.

About 40 students and several teachers packaged food and personal care items to be used in Feed the Children's Americans Feeding Americans program. The food boxes consist of non-perishable food such as canned vegetables, rice, pasta, and cereal. The personal care boxes include hygiene items like soap, shampoo, and other skin care items. 

John Tracy of Feed the Children says, "With the help of Bethany students and other volunteers, Feed The Children is able to provide these items to those currently faced with unemployment, many for the first time. Feed the Children with the help of local volunteers delivered 13 trailer loads of these boxes into Elkhart County communities this past March 10. The boxes built today will be sent to other communities throughout the Midwest region served by our Elkhart facility."

While these students were working inside, others including ten students at the River Preserve County Park, started their day working in a downpour of rain. Despite the weather, these ten students planted 300 trees in jut over an hour--a task that county staff said would have taken them several days to do on their own!

Students also served at the following community organizations

• Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary--Elkhart
• Goshen College
• Camp Friedenswald (Union, Mich.)
• Camp Mack (Milford)
• Church Community Services (Elkhart)
• Feed the Children (Elkhart)
• River Preserve (Goshen/Benton)
• Bonneyville Miller (Bristol)
• County Museum (Bristol)
• MDC Goldenrod (Goshen)
• LaCasa (Goshen)
• MCC Great Lakes (Goshen)
• Oxbow Park (Dunlap)